Rotary tools such as cutting drums are routinely employed by milling machines such as cold planers and the like for ripping up a work surface such as soil, loose rock, asphalt, pavement, concrete, etc. As can be imagined, these rotary tools may use cutting bits adapted to perform the necessary work. These cutting bits are subject to wear. Therefore, it is often necessary to replace these cutting bits once worn. Alternatively, it may be desirable to change out one type of cutting bit for another type of cutting bit depending on the work material. For example, one cutting bit may be well adapted for ripping up concrete while another may be better suited for ripping up asphalt.
For these reasons, tool adapters (also referred to as tool holders) have been developed so that cutting bits may be changed without needing to replace the entire cutting drum. It is desirable that these tool adapters be durable, easy to service and very reliable. Improvements in any of these three traits helps to improve the overall efficiency of a machine using cutting bits and any associated construction, agricultural, mining or earthmoving operation and the like.
It has been observed that it is sometimes difficult to remove cutting bits from tool adapters that are currently known in the art. It has also been observed that wear and particularly uneven wear is sometimes detrimental to the efficiency of a machine using rotary tools. Furthermore, it has also been determined that some tool adapters are not has reliable as desired as their attachment to a rotary cutting tool may loosen over time due to vibration. Accordingly, a tool adapter that has better performance in any of these three categories whether it be reliability, ease of service, or durability is warranted.